Railway-signal



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G. C. YOUNG. RAILWMI SIGNAL.

140.512.644. Paten-444.1411. 9,1894.

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G. C. YOUNG.

A RAILWAY SIGNAL. No. 512,644. Patented 112111.19, 1894.

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- Uivrran STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE O. YOUNG, OF yWASHINGTON, ASSIGNOR OF TWO-'THIRDS TO JOHN M. R.SHIMER AND GEORGE O. WILLEVER, OF. PHILLIPSBURG, NEW

JERSEY.

RAILWAY-mornin..

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 512,644, dated January9, 1894. Application tiled December 9, 1892. Serial No. 454,675. (Nomodel.)

ro provide mechanical means whereby a passing train operates signals toindicate the entrance of a train upon a certain portion or block of aroad and also indicates when the blocks or sections are clear; and ithas further for its object to provide means or mechanism whereby theexpansion and contraction of the rod, wlre or other connecting devicebetween two signals, or between a single signal and its operatingmechanism are compensated for. The

zo invention consists in the features of construction, arrangement andmode of operation of parts substantially such as are hereinafter moreparticularly described.

Referring to the accompanying drawings z 5 wherein the generalprinciples of my invention are illustrated, Figure l is a side view,partly in section, representing a portion of a railroad embracing -t-wosignal posts with which are combined the features of my in- 3o vention.Fig. 2 is a plan view of the same.

y Fig. 3 is a vertical section on the line 3-3 of Fig. l, illustratingthe compensating devices, and also portions of the track levers.

My invention is in the nature of improvements upon railroad signals ofthe general character illustrated in Patent No.v 481,884, dated August30, 1892, .granted to myself and George O. Willever, although certain ofthe features of the invention are applicable to 4o railway signals of aconstruct-ion quite different from that illustrated in said patent.

In the drawings A, A', represent the rails of a railway track and B, Bthe signal posts arranged at suitable points along the track.

In the present instance B, designates the signal posts at the entranceof a block and B the post at the end thereof. Mounted on these signalposts are some proper signal devices, those represented being ordinarysemaphores O, C although it is evident that other styles of signaldevices may be used.

In this specification, I shall -refer to the post B and the signaldevices carried thereby as the rear signal station, and the post B andthe signal devices which it carries as the forward signal station, asthey bear these relations to the section of the railway situated betweenthem, the train being supposed to travel in the direction of the arrow2, Fig. 1. It will, of course, be understood that each one of the signalstations bears a double relation, that is to say, it is the forwardsignal station to one section of the road and the rear signal station tothev adjacent section, but as this is common in signal block systems, afurther description is not necessary.

The semaphores are connected by rods D, to weighted levers E, so thatwhen the semaphores are free they will be automatically set to thedanger position, insuring that in case of accident or other unexpectedcontingency, the section of the road controlled thereby will beautomatically blocked until the proper condition of affairs has beenrestored.

In orderpto operate the semaphores'auto matically, that is to say, bythe passing of a train,I connect them with a track lever, preferablythrough the medium of the following devices:l F represents a rodconnecting the weighted lever E with a cross lever G which is pivotallymounted in supports H3 arranged between the track and the signal posts,so that the long arm of the lever is connected with the semaphore andthe short arm thereof is in position to be acted upon by the track leverH.

The track lever H which is operatedy upon lby the ordinary wheel of the-locomotive or car, lies close beside the rail, and as it is undesirableto cut the rail, I extend the toe or projection h laterally away fromthe rail so that it passes down by the side of the rail flange andengages with the cross lever G,

without in anywise interfering with the rail.

Each signal post has a Weightedv lever` E2 which is connected with atrack lever H which lies by the side of the track lever I-I heretoforedescribed. rlhe track lever H lies outside of the track lever H and isadapted to be operated by a tappet wheel carried by one of the cars,preferably the rearmost car of the train, so that when this car passessuch lever and thus enters upon a new section of the road, it willoperate the lever H' and the sigual deviceswhich are connectedtherewith. The lever Il' operates a cross lever G' which is connectedwith the weighted lever E2 by the link F2. The Weighted lever E2 when inits normal or lowered position carries the connecting partsinto suchposition that the track lever H' will occupy a depressed position.

In order that a semaphore at the block station in advance and in rear ofthe train may be suitably operated by the track levers with which thetrain engages, I connect the semaphore operating devices at one signalpost with the signal operating devices which are arranged at a distancetherefrom, by means of a chain, wire, rod, or similar device J.

.The rod or wire J is connected with the bell crank levers K, K',mounted upon or near to the lower ends of the posts B, B'. The bellcrank lever which is situated at the forward signal station isdesignated K', and that which is situated at the rear station, K. Itwill be observed that there are two bell crank levers at each station,but that the lever K in each case is connected with the rear end of theconnecting device J, and the lever K' is in each instance connected withthe forward end of such device J. The rear bell crank lever K isconnected with the weighted lever E by a link F', and the forward bellcrank lever K is connected with the weigh ted lever E2 by a link F3. Ihave found that it is preferable to interpose bell crank levers, such asl have described between the weighted levers and the chain, rod or wireJ rather than to connect the rod or wire directly with the weightedlevers. The advantages of the bell crank levers is particularly apparentwhen in combination with a compensator such as I have shown in this caseand will presently describe.

When the connecting rod or Wire J is of great length, it is necessarythat a compensating device of considerable power should be combinedtherewith; and it is also desirable that the force of such compensatingdevice should be taken off the levers and links connected with thesignal operating devices to as great a degree as possible. It is alsodesirable that the compensating devices should be located adjacent tothe signal posts so that the various parts of the signal mechanism whichare liable to get out of order, shall be arranged in proximity to eachother, and for other reasons which will hereinafter appear.

Lrepresents a weight suspended from the end of a chain Zby which it isunited with the end of the rod, wire or cable J, the chain Z forming, ineffect, a part of the connection J between the signal and the signaloperating devices. The chain Z passes around a wheel M which is mountedin a stationary support N. The preferred construction and arrange mentof the wheel M is that shown; that is to say, it is a wheel of smallsize provided with spurs or sprockets m with which the links of, thechain lenga-ge, supported upon a shaft m which is mounted in slots n inthe support N. The wheel M has connection with the signal operatingdevices through the rear bell crank lever K, and the parts connectedtherewith, the arm 7s of the lever being slotted, at 7s' to engage withthe shaft or axle m' of the wheel, so that as the lever is rocked theWheel M is also moved longitudinally in the support N. In order that thelever K may have a better engagement with the wheel M, I provide it withan arm 7.52 parallel with the arm 7c and slotted at its lower end sothat itwill engage with the axle or shaft of the wheel M upon the sideof the wheel opposite to that occupied by the arm 7s.

O is a deiiecting device, preferably in the form of a roller, situatedin such position that when the lever K moves in the direction indicatedby the arrow a: in Fig. 1, carrying with it the wheel M, the chain Zbelow the wheel is caused to engage therewith and to be `deflected sothat it engages a greater portion of the circumference of the wheel Mthan when the chain hangs straight down from the wheel.

The wheel M is free to turn in its support and does so turn as the wireor rod Jeontracts or expands. It is also free to be movedlongitudinally, such movement taking place when the con nectingdevice Jis moved in one direction or the other for the purpose of shifting thesignal or signals.

As the wire or rod .I is connected with the signal at one end through awheel which is free to revolve, it is necessary that some provision bemade to prevent the rotation of the wheel when the wire or rod is movedto change the position of the signal and that the wheel should movebodily with such rod or wire with little or no turning motion, else theweight L will be merely raised or lowered, the wheel M turning meantimewithout the lever K being moved. Such a provision is made by reason ofthe small size of the wheel M and its loose connection with the signalmoving parts.

When the forward wheel of a locomotiveor a car strikes the track leverH, the semaphore C situated adjacent to such tracklever is immediatelyset to the danger position. At the same time, the bell-crank lever K,through its connection with the weighted lever E by means of the link F'is moved from the posi-` tion indicated at the left hand of Fig. l tothat indicated at the right hand thereof,such movements carrying thesmall spur wheel M from one extreme position in the slot n to the other.This movement of the bell-crank lever is necessarily quick and as aresult the connecting rod J as a whole is moved to the left, whichshifts the forward bell-crank lever K' at the signal station in advanceof the train to the position indicated at the left hand side of Fig. l,thus elevating the weightconsiderable extent, but is moved bodily, and

this results not only from the quickness of the movements, but also fromthe fact that the arms 7c, k2 of the bell-crank lever K bear upon theshaft m of such wheel and act as abrake thereto. The laying of theflexible portionl of the connecting device J over' a large portion ofthe circumference of the wheel M by reason of the engagement of suchflexible portion with the deiiecting device O further insures that thewheel M shall not turn, but rather shall be moved laterally as a whole.

When the train passes out of the section or block to the left of thepost B', the operating or tappet Wheel at the rear of the train engageswith the outer track lever H which causes the cross lever G' to bedepressed and the weighted lever E2 to be thrown into the position shownat the right hand end of Fig. l. These movements are rapid and cause theconnection J between the bell-crank lever K and the bell-crank lever Kat the station in rear thereof to be moved as a whole, and thecompensating devices to pass from the position shown at the right handend of Fig. l, to that shown at the left hand end thereof. It will thusbe seen that Whenever the train imparts a movement to the connectingdevice J, the Wheel M is caused to move bodily in a lateral directionwithout turning to any considerable extent upon its axis; but it willalso be understood that the wheel will freely turn upon its axis andwithout moving laterally as a whole whenever the movements of theconnecting rod or cable J are very slow, as in case of those movementsresulting from the changes of temperature. Therefore, Whether thecompensating device be in the position shown at the right hand end oratA the left hand end of Fig. 1, it will operate as a perfectcompensating means for the connection J. It will also be understood thatby the use of a compensating device such as I have shown and describedherein the weight of the compensator is very largely taken off from thesignal devices which therefore movewith correspondingly greater freedom,the weight being mainly borne by the shaft m of the Wheel M.

I claim- 1. The combination of the two separated signals, the tracklevers, the connections between the track levers and the signals, theconnecting rod, wire or cable between the signal stations, the bellcrank levers to which the opposite ends of the said connecting rod, Wire.or cable are secured, and the connecting e devices between the signalsand the said bell crank levers, substantially as set forth.

2. The combination of a signal, the operating devices therefor situatedat a distance from the signal, the connecting rod or wire between thedistant operating devices and the signal the said rod being connectedwith the signal, and there being situated between the said rod andthesaid operating devices, a ilexible portion of the connecting rod, and awheel over which the said flexible portion passes, the weight suspendedfrom the flexible portion of the connecting rod or Wire, and the leverinterposed between the said wheel and the said operating devices for thesignal, substantially as set forth. f

3. The combination with the signal, the operating devices therefor, andthe connecting rod or wire, of a compensating device consisting ofaweight suspended froma wheel which has a lateral motion 1n its support,and a lever having one arm connected directly with the said Wheel, andthe other arm connected with the signal operating mechanism,substantially as set forth.

- 4. The combination with the signal, the operating devices therefor,and the connecting wire or rod J, of a compensating device consisting ofa Weight connected to a flexible part of the rod or wire, over a wheelover which said flexible part of the wire or rod passes,

mounted in slots in a stationary support, and a connection between thesaid wheel and the operating devices for the signal arranged to move itlaterally in the slots, the wheel being also free to turn or rotate toallow compensation being made for contraction and expansion of the rodor wire, substantially as set forth. s

5. The combination With the signal, the operating devices therefor, andthe connecting ywire or rod J, of a compensating device consisting of aWeight connected to a chain at the end of the rod or wire, a wheel ofsmall size and provided with spurs With which the links of the saidchain engage and having its shaft mounted in slots in a stationarysupport, and a connection between the said wheel shaft and signaloperating devices whereby as the signal is moved, the wheel is alsomoved laterally and causes a pull upon the rod or Wire the Wheel 'beingfree to turn to permit of compensation for contraction and expansion ofthe rod or wire being made,sub stantially as set forth.

In a compensating device for a signal, the combination with the signaland the rod or Wire J, of the chain at the end thereof, the

' Wheel provided with spurs or sprockets over which the chain passes,its shaft being mount- IOO IIO

ed in slots in a stationary support, a weight hung on the end of thesaid chain, an arm connected with the signal and engaging with the saidwheel whereby as the signal is operated, the wheel is moved laterallyand a deflecting stop with which the chain engages as the Wheel is movedin one direction by the signal for causing the chain to encircle thewheel to an increasing extent as it is moved, substantially as setforth.

i 7. The combinationyvith the signal, the rod F connected therewith, therod or wire J havingr a flexible portion at one end, the Wheel overwhich the flexible part of the rod or Wire passes, mounted in slots in astationary support, the Weight connected with the end ofthe saidflexible part-of the Wire or rod J, and a bell crank lever connectedwith the said rod F and having a slotted arm which engages with theWheel whereby it is moved laterally as the signal is moved,substantially as described.

8. The combination with the signal, the rod F connected therewith, thebell crank lever connected to the end of the rod F and having the twoslotted arms, the connecting rod or wire J having a chain at its end,the small Wheel M provided with spu rs or sprockets Wi th which thelinks of the chain engage, having its shaft mounted in slots in astationary frame, the slotted arms ofthe bell crank lever engaging withthe shaft of the wheel, and the Weight hung from the chain,substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in thepresence of two subscribing Witnesses.

GEORGE C. YOUNG. y lVitnesses:

J. S. BARKER, A. E. T. I-IANSMANN.

